Apparatus for refrigeration.



No. 881,832. PATENTED MAR. 10,1908.

A. R. SPRAGUE.

APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12. 1905.

. 2 snnms snsm' 1.

No. 881,832. I PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

A. R. SPRAGUE. APPARATUS POR'REFRIGERATTGN.

W, flgtjiav H 74% y Z H TESiPeT O ALMERIN R. SPRAGUE, ()F SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR; BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

' TO L. A. BOY, OF CHHAGO, ILLINOIS. I

APPARATUS-FOR .REFRI GERATION.

No. ss1,es2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 19338;

Application filed August 12, 1905. Serial N0.v 273,931.

To (11120720771 it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Ann ERIN R. SrnAoun; citizen of the United States, residing at Sacraniento, in the county of Sacramento. and

5 State of California," have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Refrigeration, of whichthe following is a specification." i

In shipping pe ishable products, as fruits,

vegetables,'etc., long distances, as acrossthe continent, ith as been discovered that if such products be thoroughly cooled beforostart- .ing upon .the journey the loss from ,decay' during transit will 'be reduced to a minimum. Heretofore' it has been the practice in shipping fruit from California to the Eastern markets to pack the fruit in boxes and put it into cars as quickly as possible and start it upon its journey with little delay as pos- 2O sible depending upon the circulation of cooled air within the car to effect the'thorough cooling of the fruit during its journey. But it has been found impossible to so thoroughly cool the fruit under these conditions as to prevent its decay and especially when "the fruit passed through regions of country ofextrcmely high temperatures and the fruit was also subjected to the rise in temperature within the car caused by the decay of someof the more perishable portions of the load.

The object of my invention is to avoid these objections by thoroughly and quickly cooling the fruit-or other products before starting it upon its journey and preferably after it had been loaded into the car. A most cilicient and economical means for accomplishing this purpose is by passing a continuous current of cold air through the 40 car from one end to the other and. also through a cooling medium, preferably ice at one or both ends, and thoroughly circulating and distributingthe current to all parts of the car during its passage.

.1 accomplish this and other objects by means of a mechanism and apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter more fully set forth.l

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a car, together with a side elevation of one form of apparatusembodying my invention for producing the refrigeration; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3,'is an cnd tional view of a car body showing another at the ends.

view; Fig. 4, is a broken sectional view-en larged of a portion of the top. of a car and of. the apparatus; Fig. 5, is a broken longitudi nal sectional view of a portion. of the cooling apparatus; Fig. 6. is a transverse viewof. the same; Fig. 7, is a longitudinalvertical secineans forprodncing the circulation of air 'wlthin the car. I

1n the drawlngs 1 indicates the body ota car which may be of any ordinaryconstruction and provided with: the usual ice tanks 2 The bottoms 3 of the tanksare arranged at a slight distance above the'fioor of the car and an opening 4 is' formed into the interior of the car which is preferably covered with wire screen in theusual manner. An opening 5 is also formed at the upper portion of said wall at or near the roof of the car. A movable daniper or regulator 6 is provided for the opening 5 which may be in the form of a wing or shutter that is adapted to be moved as upon pivots 7 to close the opening to a greater or lessextent. In the construction shown in Fig. 1., a baflie board or obstruction S-isarranged trans verscly of the car at the top, perferably near the center, with. its lower 2 end. extending down to a greater or less distancebctween the boxes or packages of fruit 9, which are arranged in tiers withinthc car; generally with a wider space at the center of the car 8 than at any other place.

- In the arrangement shown .in Fig. 7, thebalile boards .or obstructions are arranged transvcrsely'of the car at different points of its length, each bafilcextcnding from the top or bottom of the car as the case may be and having its opposite edge t(- rminating at such a distance from'the opposite.port-ion of the car as to cause a thorough circulation of the air thcrethrough. 'lhc .bafllcs areal-ranged so as toaltcrnate; that is, each-alternate balllc extends from the bottonrol the car. nearly to thc top and the remaining baffles extend downwardfrom. the roof ol'thc car. nearly to the bottmn. But witheithcr arrangement of balllcs a current of air is caused to cntcrthc top of the car atone mid and have the major portion forced down throughthc ice in the tank at that endand out 'throilgh thc'opcning at the bottom where it distributed and caused to pass an-iong the i of the opening as regulated by the dampers at that point, and commingles with the air 3 0 "paper 11 are secured which enables them to a as much as possible on .the tree with the least 'chance of its decayin during transit. For

'tributed throughout the car; rangement of packages shown inFig. 7, the passage of the air through the car is more in the nature of a serpentine current passing alternately from the bottom'to the roof of the serious loss. It also permits of their being '35 boxes and through to the opposite end of the car and out through the ice in the tank at that end. The minor portion of the air enters the car through the opening at the top of the ice tank, depending upon the size from the bottom opening. In passing from the interior of the car a greater portionof it passes out through the larger opening at the bottom while a lesser portion passes out through the graduated opening'at the top of the ice tank at that end.

In the construction shown in Fig 1, the baille prevents the air from passing in a current from one end of the car to the other in the space betweenthe tops of the tiers of boxes and the top of the car and causes it to be thorou hly broken up and evenly .dis- In the arcar until it finally passes out through the rear ice-tank asin the'structure shown in Fig. 1, whereby it is thoroughly and uniformly distributed throughout the car.

The batfies are preferably formed from frames 10 upon which sheets ofcanvas or )e constructed so cheaply that they may be destroyed at the end of their journey without easily )laced and secured in position between the di erent tiers of boxes while the; car is being loaded. a It is very desirable that the least possible ripenin intervene between the time the fruit leaves t 1e tree and the timeit is placed upon the market so as to permit of its being ripened this reason the car an its contents should be cooled as quickly as possible and at the-same time economically. I have found a very eflicient means for this purpose to consist of an elongated chamber, preferably in the-form of a tube 12, arranged lengthwise at one side of the track upon which the car stands while being cooled. The tube is preferably formed in sections for convenience. in handling, with the ends of'the sections flanged so as to be secured together, as by bolts.v A connector or conduit extends from each end of the tube in position to be detachably connected with the car at its top as through the openings 13 into the ice tanks. I prefer to construct these conduits as standpi ass 14, the upper end of which overhangs t e main portion and is adapted to be moved over the top of the car and away again as by means of a curved portion 15, one end of which extends into the upper end of the pipe and is adapted to be rotatably supported therein, as by means of.

a band or collar 16. The inner end of said portion is provided with a packing, as a I the main portion of the stand pipe. It desired a brace 22 may extend from the. upper surface of the wheel diagonally upward to engage with the curved portion near its free end and support it. Detachably connected with the free end of the curved portion, which preferably flanged, is an extension 21% which is adapted to pass loosely through a removable cover 24 in one 01' the openings 13, the sides of the cover-being inclined to lit the. opening. and the upper end of the extension being flanged to correspmid with the flange on the curved portion. An elongated socket,

as a piece of tubing 25, is secured to the top the cover 2-1 around the. opening therein 'and forms a telescopic joint witli the exten sion by means of which the cover may be adjusted to adapt it for use with cars of dill'erent heights. secured to the interior of the upper-end oi". the socket to engage with the extension and form an air tight joint.

Means may be rovided for adjusting the position of the en s of the curved portions 15 for adapting them for use with ears of diil'erentlengths. This is preferably done by providing one of them with a straight telescopic joint 27, by means of which its radial length can be y'ariedand the end moved to one side or the other of a plane through the stand ipe at right angles to the side of the car. making the joint rotatable as well as telescopic the extension upon that curved portion can be inserted into and removed froi'n the openings 13 at that end of tlie car without removing it from said portion.

One of the stand pipes is preferably one A packing 26. as of leather. is

nected with the end of the tube 12 by means of a casing 28 within which ismounted-an ordinary fan or blower whichis adapted-to create a continuous current through the tube and stand pipes and through the car. One end of the tube is curved as at?!) so as to be joined to the inlet at the center of the casing and the lower end of the stand pi e is curved as at 30 and joined to the outlet 0 the casin In'this manner that pipe normally stanrs nearer the carthan the other one as shown more particularly inv Fig. 3, and permits of the curve at the upper'end of said other pi 0 being provided with the-telescopic joint. it

' also causes the fan shaft 31 to stand lengthwise of the tube whereby the ower for rotatin the shaft, not shown, can e placed to one si e of the tube. I

One or more sections of the tube as 32 are preferably enlarged 'aslsho wn more particu larly in Fig. and located, therein is an elongated coil 33, of horizontally arranged pipes through which the water or brine, as

the case,may'be, from the melted ice is caused to pass from the drip tubes of the ice tanks and thereby materially'assist in coolinggthe airas it is forced through the tube by the fan or blower intthe casing 28. The inlet .34 to the coil is preferably provided with a T and detachabl connected with the drip pipes from the ice oxes by means of a flexible conduit or hose 35,- and theoutl'et' 36 is conveniently located at any suitable point in the section, as home side. To prevent the absorption of heat from the outside the tube and stand ppes are preferably providedwith a suitable covering as. 37

.so as to permit of the insertion of the extenr si ns into the openings of the ice boxes thereby forming an endless conduit of which the car body forms a' part. The blower is then put in operation .by starting the motor which'will cause a strong current of air to be v the tank at that end.

caused to pass in'contact with the different rapidly circulated through. the car and the tube. As the .air enters thecar themajor portion of it passes through the tank and is cooled and dried by the iceand from there it is circulated through. the car and passes out at the other end,-the most of it going through the tank where the heat and moisture that it had accumulated from the contentsof the car are absorbed by the ice in the tank. The lesser ,portion of the air current passes into the car through the gradu ated. opening at the top of the first tank and commingles with the current of air within the car body which is being deflected and driven to every part of the car by the baflles, and on leaving the car a smaller portion of the air passes. through the graduated opening at the upper'end of After leav ng the car the air passes down through one stand pi e, through the tube, and up through-the ot ier stand, pipe back into the car again, and on its way throughfthe tube it is'broken up and pipes of the coil where it is further cooled. by the melted 'i.ce and salt, temperature of the waiter rising from a trifle above 30 where it leaves the car to about 50 where it leaves.

the coil. The tube and stand pipesare of such a large size that the air can pass through them in a large volume thereby causing the process of cooling to proceed with great rapidity which is very essential in order to get the car cooled and started on its 'ourney with as little delay as possible. Aiter the car has been thoroughly cooled in this manner, which experience has shown requires to be about 40 to 50 degrees, the ice tanks are replenished with fresh ice, the cariclosed Actual experience has shown that. when fruit is treated in this manner it has arrived in the Eastern markets in first class condition, or much better than similar fruit that was shipped at 'the same time [but only treated in the usualmanner.

that has ee'nfound to be very efficient and have described it as applied'to fruit, in -is evident that changes and'modifications Iifay be made in the apparatus and'the process as for instance, meats, vegetables, etc, and

scope of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claimas new and: desire to secure by'Letters Patent is;-.

1. In a means for refrigerating cars, a

curved extensions of said pipes rotatable horizontally upon them and adapted to be as tightly as possible and sent fOI'WiHZd.-

Althou h I have shown a construction may be applied to other products than fruit,

I reserve the right tomake all such changesand applications as will come within the u horizontal tube, two pipes rising therefrom,

connected to a car at both ends and a fan.

or blower for causing an air current to pass through said conduit. I

2. In a means for refrigerating cars, a conduit which is provided with two standpipes, the upper end of each pipe being provided with a rotatablyfinounted extension, one end of said extension fitting Withinthe stand-pipe and )rovided with a packing to form an air tight joint and the other end being movable to a position over the car and away-again and adapted to be detachably connected therewith, and means for causing a current of air to pass through said conduit.

3. In a means for refrigerating cars, a conduit which is provided with two stand.-

pipes, the upper end of each pipe being provided with a rotatably mounted curved portion, a band and two lateral projections on the main portion of each pipe, a crank shaft journaled vertically in said. projections and conduit which is provided with two standvided with a rotatably mounted upwardly curved portion, an annular gear wheel on the pivoted end of each of said portions, a brace extending diagonally upward from the top of one of said wheels and engaging with the portion at that end near, its free the side of each stand-pipe and having a plnion at its upper end for enga with the A. In a means for refrigerating cars,'a

12c pipes, the upper end of each pipe being proend, a crank shaft journaled vertically at gear Wheel on that pipe, means adapted for detacbaby connecting the free end of each curved portion With the top of the car, and means for passin a current of air through said conduit. i

5. In a means for refrigerating; cars, a conduit which is provided with tu 'o'stiand pipes, the upper end of each pipe being provided with a curved portion rotahr-ily 'n rounted thereon, one of said portions being provided with a rotatable .telo "epic .joint, means for rotating said portions, means for detachably connecting the free cndsof the portions with the top of the car, and means for passing a current of air "trough conduit.

6. a means for refrigerating cars, a conduit whi'ch is provided with two standpipes, the up er end of each pipe being provided with a rotatably mounted projection, an extension at the free end of the projection adapted to enter an opening at the top of the car, it cover for said opening adjustably connected with said extension, and means for passing a current of air through said conduit.

'7. in a means for refrigerating cars, a conduit which is prgt'ided with two standpipes, the upper end of each pipe being provided. with a rotatably mounted portion, the free end of said portion being Hanged, a Hanged extension detachably secured to said end, a cover on said extension provided with piece of pipe surrounding the extension packing-3 between the pipe and the extension, and means for passing a current of air through said co 'uluit.

means for refrigerating cars, a

, r tube, two standpipes rising therean extension horizontally" turnable pen the upper end of each standpipe a )lou'er casing interposed between one of said stendpipes and the tube and communicating with both, and telescopic joint in the extension of the other standpipe whereby its radial length can be altered; the standpipe with which the blower casing, is connee-Ltd being located to one'side of the other portionsof the conduit.

9. In a means for refricerating cars, a casing, a tube connected with the inlet thereof and-a stand-pipe connected with the outlet, a stand-pipe connected with the other end of the tube, a blower in the casing, and a coil within the tube, the inlet of which is adapted to be detachably connected with the drip pipes .of a refrigerator car.

10. In a means for refrigerating cars, a casing, a tube, one end of which is curved upwardianr'l connected with the inlet of the cusing at the center, a stand-pipe havin its lower end curved and connected with t c outlet of the casing, a stand-pipe connected with the other end of the tube, the upper end of each pipe being adapted to be detachably connected to the top of a car, a blower in the casing with its shaft in line with the length of the tube, and a coil in said tube, the inlet end of which is adapted to be detachabl'y connected with the drip pipes of a refrigerator car.

11. In a means for refrigerating cars, a tube, exteriorly of and separate from the car, an elongated coil arranged therein, means for connecting one end of said coil with the opposite ends of a car at the bottom, means for detachably connecting the ends of the tube with the top of the car, and means for forcin a continuous current of air through the tube and the car.

12. In a means for refrigerating cars, a tube formed in sections, a portion of which are of a larger diameter than the others, an. elongated coil in said larger portion consisting of a series of connected horizontally arranged pipes, means for detachably connecting the inlet of the coil with the drip pipes of n refrigerator oar, stand pipes for detach ab] y connecting the ends of the tube with a car, and a blower at one end of the tube to pass a current of air therethrough and through the stand-pipes and through the car.

13. In a means for refrigerating cars, a tube, an elongated coil therein, a T connected with the inlet of said coil, a pipe oxtcnding from each end of the T and adapted to be detachably connected with a car, a conduit from each end of the tube provided with means for being detachably connected with the top-of the car, and means for producing a continuous current of air through the tube and through the car. I

In testimony whereof I -aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 3rd day of August 1905.

ALM ERIN R. SP1 (AGUE.

\Yitnessos N. S. BOYD, M. R: SEELY. 

